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SBI NASL Season Preview: Ottawa Fury FC

Juian De Guzman

Ottawa Fury FC enjoyed a magical run in 2015 after their struggles in the Spring.

They won just two of their first 10 games, but finished the NASL Fall Season with just one loss. That form guided the Fury to the Soccer Bowl, where they narrowly lost, 3-2, to eventual champions New York Cosmos.

The offseason brought a lot of uncertainty to the Fury squad. NASL Coach of the Year Marc Dos Santos left the club and eventually joined Swope Park Rangers, the USL affiliate of Sporting Kansas City. The Canadian club also lost several key players this winter.

However, the Fury quickly found their new head coach in Paul Dalglish, an MLS Cup champion with the Houston Dynamo and the son of Liverpool icon Kenny Dalglish.

Dalglish, equipped with the general manager tag, immediately went to work to bolster the roster. No fewer than 14 players have joined the club since the Scottish tactician took the reins. As a result, Dalglish feels that this Fury team has the ability challenge for a title again.

“I’m fully confident that the players we’ve brought in will be good enough to challenge for a championship,” Dalglish told SBI. “None of us want to finish in second place, that’s for sure.”

It’s clear that the Fury have big aspirations this year.

Here is a closer look at the 2016 Ottawa Fury:

2016 OTTAWA FURY SEASON PREVIEW

2015 FINISH: Overall – 15-11-4, 56 points (2nd in Combined Standings); Spring Season – 2-5-3, 11 points (9th in Spring Season); Fall Season – 13-6-1, 45 points (1st in Fall Season)

HEAD COACH: Paul Dalglish, first season

KEY ACQUISITIONS: Jonny Steele, Kyle Porter, Gerardo Bruna, Marcel De Jong, Idan Vered

KEY LOSSES: Tom Heinemann, Andrew Wiedeman, Sinisa Ubiparipovic, Ryan Richter, Mason Trafford, Richie Ryan

NEWCOMER TO WATCH: Gerardo Bruna. The Argentine was crushed by comparisons to Lionel Messi while he was a member of Real Madrid’s youth setup. Injuries derailed his Liverpool career, but he’s still 25 years old and is a very dynamic midfielder. Bruna will surely add flair and technique for the Fury.

PRESSURE IS ON: Rafael Alves. The NASL Best XI defender should enjoy another fantastic season, but he will be tasked with anchoring a defense that has underwent significant changes during the offseason. Expectations will also be higher for Alves after a fantastic 2015 season.

OUTLOOK

The Fury may be hindered during the Spring Season after so much roster turnover, but, Dalglish will be aided by the fact that he signed the majority of the club’s new players before training camp.

The attack has not skipped a beat based on the preseason performances of Carl Haworth, Dennis Chin and Paulo Junior. Each player has gotten on the scoresheet and are already raring to go for the new campaign.

Based on the dynamism at the Fury’s disposal, Dalglish may lean on more pace up front compared to last season when Heinemann played as a target forward. That could make Ottawa a more exciting team to watch.

The real issue will be the defense. Mason Trafford’s departure was arguably the toughest, but there’s no shortage of options at the back to replace him. Seven players are listed as defenders on the Fury roster, although Marcel De Jong and Lance Rozeboom could also be used in midfield.

The Fury have also become more Canadian over the winter. De Jong’s and Kyle Porter’s acquisitions indicate the Fury are trying to form a Canadian identity, but that is not necessarily the case.

“I wouldn’t say that we’ve made a purposeful effort to bring in Canadian players,” said Dalglish. “We’d like to give the Canadians a chance, that is our responsibility, but it’s not just about being Canadian, it’s about being good enough to play for the Ottawa Fury.”

Overall, the Fury appear to be in good shape, especially up front. However, a slow start should be expected after a busy offseason and with a new coach joining the fray.

PROJECTED LINEUP:

——————–Peiser——————-

Porter—–Balchan—–Alves—–De Jong

——De Guzman–Steele—-Eustaquio—-

Junior————–Chin—————-Bruna

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